I get a mailing from Local Harvest, an organization that promotes buying
local. This is what came this morning.


LocalHarvest Newsletter, November 23, 2019
The Bitter Fruit

Hello eaters- I am back and super excited to write for LocalHarvest once
again! You can support the vital work of LocalHarvest by buying from
your local farmers, advertising on the LH platform, and if you are a
farmer, subscribing to our CSA software, CSAware.

Twenty years ago I read a book called The Bitter Fruit: The Story of an
American Coup in Guatemala. Written in 1982 by two veteran journalists,
the book detailed the unsavory CIA operation designed to overthrow the
democratically elected government of Jacobo Arbenz in the country of
Guatemala, circa 1954. The United Fruit Company, whose highly profitable
business had been affected by President Arbenz's end to exploitative
labor practices and land reform for landless workers, engaged in an
influential lobbying campaign to persuade the U.S. to overthrow the
Guatemalan government. I read the book in Spanish (Fruta Amarga: La CIA
en Guatemala) while I was conducting research in the ravaged Guatemalan
highlands where decades of civil war had preceded my arrival. Bananas
were the fruit that precipitated the 1954 coup in Guatemala, while
avocados could be the fuel for another type of war in 21st century
south-central Mexico.

I had heard snippets of news that rival gangs and paramilitary groups in
Mexico were trying to control and profit off the explosive growth of the
avocado business. But it wasn't until I watched the Netflix series
Rotten, that the "avocado war" really came into focus for me. The
avocado's rise from culinary fad to a must-have superfood has made it a
multi-billion dollar crop - and a magnet for money-hungry cartels. In
the year 2000, Americans ate around 2.2 lbs of avocados per capita, now
it is over 7 lbs a person, and the worldwide demand keeps growing as the
keto diet grows in popularity and people look to adding more healthy
fats to their diets.

Before the passing of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA),
most of the avocados consumed in the US were homegrown in California.
Now, around 80% of the avocados we consume are imported, and mostly from
the Mexican state of Michoacán, according to the US Department of
Agriculture. As drug cartels and gangs began to see the profit potential
of this lucrative fruit, they started to require that local farmers pay
them "patronage" or "protection" fees, or in some cases the cartels
bought up the farms, packhouses, and other companies in the avocado
supply chain in order to extract as much profit and control as possible.
Sort of a new spin on vertical integration. It is estimated by one
non-profit media group that around 48 tons of avocados are stolen EVERY
day of harvest in Michoacán. Kidnappings, heinous murders, and other
nefarious activities now malign this industry, with many small farmers
caught in the cross hairs. The more you learn about this, the worse it
looks.

As if supporting drug cartels wasn't enough, avocados also use an
incredibly large volume of water. The Rotten documentary goes into this
at length for avocados grown in Chile, but also California too. Luckily,
newer drip systems and remote sensing technologies can reduce water use
considerably, with many innovative growers trying them out. But
worldwide data on the major avocado growing regions shows that avocados
are the 3rd or 4th most water hungry crop behind asparagus, alfalfa, and
almonds. It takes around 74 gallons to produce one pound of avocados
(which is around two medium-sized fruits).

Yet, as many of us know, avocados are incredibly nutrient-dense, taste
amazing, and are featured in a wide range of dishes. From traditional
guacamole to egg dishes to even deserts, this superfood is also super
versatile. They are high in vitamins like B, C, E, and K, fiber,
potassium, and monounsaturated fatty acids. What is a conscious consumer
like you to do?

Step 1: Buy US grown- California, Florida, and Hawaii when in season
(generally March-September). Here is a list to start with of
LocalHarvest avocado growers.

Step 2: Look for certified FairTrade and organic stickers on imported
avocados the rest of the year (generally October-April), such as through
Equal Exchange.

Step 3: Look to other foods to supply you those vitamins, minerals, and
healthy fats so you don't feel the need to eat avocados every day.
Sunflowers seeds, cabbage, olives, lamb, pasture-raised pork lard or
grassfed beef tallow. Pureed beans with garlic also provide a nice
alternative spread for chips, so you can pass on inhaling the guacamole.
I know, easier said than done

To your health, -Rebecca Thistlethwaite

On Sun, 24 Nov 2019 10:51:20 -0500, Ed Pawlowski > wrote:

>I get a mailing from Local Harvest, an organization that promotes buying
>local. This is what came this morning.
>
>
>LocalHarvest Newsletter, November 23, 2019
>The Bitter Fruit
>
snip
>
>Before the passing of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA),
>most of the avocados consumed in the US were homegrown in California.
>Now, around 80% of the avocados we consume are imported, and mostly from
>the Mexican state of Michoacán, according to the US Department of
>Agriculture. As drug cartels and gangs began to see the profit potential
>of this lucrative fruit, they started to require that local farmers pay
>them "patronage" or "protection" fees, or in some cases the cartels
>bought up the farms, packhouses, and other companies in the avocado
>supply chain in order to extract as much profit and control as possible.
>Sort of a new spin on vertical integration. It is estimated by one
>non-profit media group that around 48 tons of avocados are stolen EVERY
>day of harvest in Michoacán. Kidnappings, heinous murders, and other
>nefarious activities now malign this industry, with many small farmers
>caught in the cross hairs. The more you learn about this, the worse it
>looks.
>
snip

I had no idea about the cartel involvement. Thanks for posting. I
doubt knowledge of the facts will change much.
Janet US

On 11/24/2019 12:24 PM, U.S. Janet B. wrote:
> On Sun, 24 Nov 2019 10:51:20 -0500, Ed Pawlowski > wrote:
>
>> I get a mailing from Local Harvest, an organization that promotes buying
>> local. This is what came this morning.
>>
>>
>> LocalHarvest Newsletter, November 23, 2019
>> The Bitter Fruit
>>
> snip
>>
>> Before the passing of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA),
>> most of the avocados consumed in the US were homegrown in California.
>> Now, around 80% of the avocados we consume are imported, and mostly from
>> the Mexican state of Michoacán, according to the US Department of
>> Agriculture. As drug cartels and gangs began to see the profit potential
>> of this lucrative fruit, they started to require that local farmers pay
>> them "patronage" or "protection" fees, or in some cases the cartels
>> bought up the farms, packhouses, and other companies in the avocado
>> supply chain in order to extract as much profit and control as possible.
>> Sort of a new spin on vertical integration. It is estimated by one
>> non-profit media group that around 48 tons of avocados are stolen EVERY
>> day of harvest in Michoacán. Kidnappings, heinous murders, and other
>> nefarious activities now malign this industry, with many small farmers
>> caught in the cross hairs. The more you learn about this, the worse it
>> looks.
>>
> snip
>
> I had no idea about the cartel involvement. Thanks for posting. I
> doubt knowledge of the facts will change much.
> Janet US
>

Of course you don't want to support the drug cartels, but, the little
guy planting and harvesting also gets hurt. No simple answer.

On Sun, 24 Nov 2019 12:48:25 -0500, Ed Pawlowski > wrote:

>On 11/24/2019 12:24 PM, U.S. Janet B. wrote:
>> On Sun, 24 Nov 2019 10:51:20 -0500, Ed Pawlowski > wrote:
>>
>>> I get a mailing from Local Harvest, an organization that promotes buying
>>> local. This is what came this morning.
>>>
>>>
>>> LocalHarvest Newsletter, November 23, 2019
>>> The Bitter Fruit
>>>
>> snip
>>>
>>> Before the passing of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA),
>>> most of the avocados consumed in the US were homegrown in California.
>>> Now, around 80% of the avocados we consume are imported, and mostly from
>>> the Mexican state of Michoacán, according to the US Department of
>>> Agriculture. As drug cartels and gangs began to see the profit potential
>>> of this lucrative fruit, they started to require that local farmers pay
>>> them "patronage" or "protection" fees, or in some cases the cartels
>>> bought up the farms, packhouses, and other companies in the avocado
>>> supply chain in order to extract as much profit and control as possible.
>>> Sort of a new spin on vertical integration. It is estimated by one
>>> non-profit media group that around 48 tons of avocados are stolen EVERY
>>> day of harvest in Michoacán. Kidnappings, heinous murders, and other
>>> nefarious activities now malign this industry, with many small farmers
>>> caught in the cross hairs. The more you learn about this, the worse it
>>> looks.
>>>
>> snip
>>
>> I had no idea about the cartel involvement. Thanks for posting. I
>> doubt knowledge of the facts will change much.
>> Janet US
>>
>
>Of course you don't want to support the drug cartels, but, the little
>guy planting and harvesting also gets hurt. No simple answer.

You just keep buying as you did before, farmers still benefit. Simple.

On 11/24/2019 3:54 PM, Je�us wrote:
> On Sun, 24 Nov 2019 12:48:25 -0500, Ed Pawlowski > wrote:
>
>> On 11/24/2019 12:24 PM, U.S. Janet B. wrote:
>>> On Sun, 24 Nov 2019 10:51:20 -0500, Ed Pawlowski > wrote:
>>>
>>>> I get a mailing from Local Harvest, an organization that promotes buying
>>>> local. This is what came this morning.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> LocalHarvest Newsletter, November 23, 2019
>>>> The Bitter Fruit
>>>>
>>> snip
>>>>
>>>> Before the passing of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA),
>>>> most of the avocados consumed in the US were homegrown in California.
>>>> Now, around 80% of the avocados we consume are imported, and mostly from
>>>> the Mexican state of Michoacán, according to the US Department of
>>>> Agriculture. As drug cartels and gangs began to see the profit potential
>>>> of this lucrative fruit, they started to require that local farmers pay
>>>> them "patronage" or "protection" fees, or in some cases the cartels
>>>> bought up the farms, packhouses, and other companies in the avocado
>>>> supply chain in order to extract as much profit and control as possible.
>>>> Sort of a new spin on vertical integration. It is estimated by one
>>>> non-profit media group that around 48 tons of avocados are stolen EVERY
>>>> day of harvest in Michoacán. Kidnappings, heinous murders, and other
>>>> nefarious activities now malign this industry, with many small farmers
>>>> caught in the cross hairs. The more you learn about this, the worse it
>>>> looks.
>>>>
>>> snip
>>>
>>> I had no idea about the cartel involvement. Thanks for posting. I
>>> doubt knowledge of the facts will change much.
>>> Janet US
>>>
>>
>> Of course you don't want to support the drug cartels, but, the little
>> guy planting and harvesting also gets hurt. No simple answer.
>
> You just keep buying as you did before, farmers still benefit. Simple.
>

I've only ever bought 3 avocado in my life so I'm not going to change
the world.
I guess there are many moral/ethical/ecological consequences in
everything we buy. I'm now living in Florida that has many square miles
of orange groves. The supermarket still has oranges trucked in from
California. It took a lot of diesel fuel to bring them. There are
potato farms about 3 miles from me but Idaho russets are available.
Right axross from the grapes shipped from Chile.

On Sunday, November 24, 2019 at 5:51:24 AM UTC-10, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> I get a mailing from Local Harvest, an organization that promotes buying
> local. This is what came this morning.
>
>
> LocalHarvest Newsletter, November 23, 2019
> The Bitter Fruit
>
> Hello eaters- I am back and super excited to write for LocalHarvest once
> again! You can support the vital work of LocalHarvest by buying from
> your local farmers, advertising on the LH platform, and if you are a
> farmer, subscribing to our CSA software, CSAware.
>
> Twenty years ago I read a book called The Bitter Fruit: The Story of an
> American Coup in Guatemala. Written in 1982 by two veteran journalists,
> the book detailed the unsavory CIA operation designed to overthrow the
> democratically elected government of Jacobo Arbenz in the country of
> Guatemala, circa 1954. The United Fruit Company, whose highly profitable
> business had been affected by President Arbenz's end to exploitative
> labor practices and land reform for landless workers, engaged in an
> influential lobbying campaign to persuade the U.S. to overthrow the
> Guatemalan government. I read the book in Spanish (Fruta Amarga: La CIA
> en Guatemala) while I was conducting research in the ravaged Guatemalan
> highlands where decades of civil war had preceded my arrival. Bananas
> were the fruit that precipitated the 1954 coup in Guatemala, while
> avocados could be the fuel for another type of war in 21st century
> south-central Mexico.
>
> I had heard snippets of news that rival gangs and paramilitary groups in
> Mexico were trying to control and profit off the explosive growth of the
> avocado business. But it wasn't until I watched the Netflix series
> Rotten, that the "avocado war" really came into focus for me. The
> avocado's rise from culinary fad to a must-have superfood has made it a
> multi-billion dollar crop - and a magnet for money-hungry cartels. In
> the year 2000, Americans ate around 2.2 lbs of avocados per capita, now
> it is over 7 lbs a person, and the worldwide demand keeps growing as the
> keto diet grows in popularity and people look to adding more healthy
> fats to their diets.
>
> Before the passing of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA),
> most of the avocados consumed in the US were homegrown in California.
> Now, around 80% of the avocados we consume are imported, and mostly from
> the Mexican state of Michoacán, according to the US Department of
> Agriculture. As drug cartels and gangs began to see the profit potential
> of this lucrative fruit, they started to require that local farmers pay
> them "patronage" or "protection" fees, or in some cases the cartels
> bought up the farms, packhouses, and other companies in the avocado
> supply chain in order to extract as much profit and control as possible.
> Sort of a new spin on vertical integration. It is estimated by one
> non-profit media group that around 48 tons of avocados are stolen EVERY
> day of harvest in Michoacán. Kidnappings, heinous murders, and other
> nefarious activities now malign this industry, with many small farmers
> caught in the cross hairs. The more you learn about this, the worse it
> looks.
>
> As if supporting drug cartels wasn't enough, avocados also use an
> incredibly large volume of water. The Rotten documentary goes into this
> at length for avocados grown in Chile, but also California too. Luckily,
> newer drip systems and remote sensing technologies can reduce water use
> considerably, with many innovative growers trying them out. But
> worldwide data on the major avocado growing regions shows that avocados
> are the 3rd or 4th most water hungry crop behind asparagus, alfalfa, and
> almonds. It takes around 74 gallons to produce one pound of avocados
> (which is around two medium-sized fruits).
>
> Yet, as many of us know, avocados are incredibly nutrient-dense, taste
> amazing, and are featured in a wide range of dishes. From traditional
> guacamole to egg dishes to even deserts, this superfood is also super
> versatile. They are high in vitamins like B, C, E, and K, fiber,
> potassium, and monounsaturated fatty acids. What is a conscious consumer
> like you to do?
>
> Step 1: Buy US grown- California, Florida, and Hawaii when in season
> (generally March-September). Here is a list to start with of
> LocalHarvest avocado growers.
>
> Step 2: Look for certified FairTrade and organic stickers on imported
> avocados the rest of the year (generally October-April), such as through
> Equal Exchange.
>
> Step 3: Look to other foods to supply you those vitamins, minerals, and
> healthy fats so you don't feel the need to eat avocados every day.
> Sunflowers seeds, cabbage, olives, lamb, pasture-raised pork lard or
> grassfed beef tallow. Pureed beans with garlic also provide a nice
> alternative spread for chips, so you can pass on inhaling the guacamole.
> I know, easier said than done
>
> To your health, -Rebecca Thistlethwaite

The avocados here get quite large and during the season, everybody is giving them away. There's more than we can eat. The imported ones that I see in Safeway are quite sad to see. They are tiny. What I did not know is that people on the mainland can buy Hawaiian avocados.

https://irp-cdn.multiscreensite.com/...st-avocado.jpg

On Sun, 24 Nov 2019 17:37:06 -0500, Ed Pawlowski > wrote:

>On 11/24/2019 3:54 PM, Je?us wrote:
>> On Sun, 24 Nov 2019 12:48:25 -0500, Ed Pawlowski > wrote:
>>
>>> Of course you don't want to support the drug cartels, but, the little
>>> guy planting and harvesting also gets hurt. No simple answer.
>>
>> You just keep buying as you did before, farmers still benefit. Simple.
>>
>
>I've only ever bought 3 avocado in my life so I'm not going to change
>the world.
>I guess there are many moral/ethical/ecological consequences in
>everything we buy. I'm now living in Florida that has many square miles
>of orange groves. The supermarket still has oranges trucked in from
>California. It took a lot of diesel fuel to bring them. There are
>potato farms about 3 miles from me but Idaho russets are available.
>Right axross from the grapes shipped from Chile.

If you want to buy with a conscience, you should probably avoid
almonds. Both in Australia and, I believe, California, almond
production uses incredible amounts of water that the land can't
afford.